"We eat, drink and tell the story of our lives, our loves, our hope, our dreams. Sweeney-McDonald has hit upon the idea of putting this all in the pages of a beautiful glossy coffee table book....and this is a book that deserves to be read." - Samuel Bernstein, West Hollywood News

“Peggy draws attention not only to our food, but also to the people who make it part of the character of Louisiana.” —Chef John Besh, author of My New Orleans and My Family Tableamh

“I'm laughing, I'm hungry, I'm happy - when is the next edition?”- Lally Brennan co-proprietor of Commander's Palace and co-author of In The Land of Cocktails

The latest season of Food Network Star is getting a spicy serving of Louisiana lagniappe in the form of "Big Jay" as Host Giada De Laurentiis called www.jayducote.com on the first episode which premiered Sunday, June 7, 2015. Jay Ducote is taking the latest season of Food Network Star by storm with his killer cooking and big love of Louisiana culture! He is filling the screen with his passion for food and larger than life personality.

If you aren't familiar with the Food Network Star on The Food Network, the show is hosted by Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis. It begins with 12 contestants who are challenged each week with cooking competitions. One chef is eliminated by the end of each week. The show is unique as the competitors are judged on cooking skills along with their personality and stories.

On the second show of the season titled "Savor Your Baking", Jay knocked it out of the park in the "What's for Dinner?" segment. The contestants made a mad dash to choose limited left-over type ingredients from the refrigerator and create a family dinner. Jay chose grilled salmon and created a Barbeque Salmon Hash with potatoes, onions, peppers, jalapenos and Kraft Barbeque sauce. Too bad Jay wasn't able to bring his own Jay D's Louisiana Barbeque Sauce, a top seller in stores throughout Louisiana and used by many chefs. Kraft is a Food Network sponsor so I guess that wasn't going to happen! Each contestant had to present their dish on camera and Jay received amazing comments such as "flawless" by Judge Melissa D'Arabian, former winner of Food Network Star Season 5. He was challenged by the judges to "show us something we really need to know about you in each challenge going forward."

On the second segment of the show, the contestants were challenged to create something savory but inspired by something traditionally sweet. On Sunday morning, Jay had texted me to "watch the show for several reasons." My radar went up and I figured he was going to make his mouthwatering Blackberry Bourbon Boston Butt, the best pork dish I have ever eaten which is featured in the Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde ... cookbook, or possibly make a special beignet inspired by Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans, Louisiana. I was intrigued and set my DVR. I was surprised and thrilled when Jay shared how he had been a speaker in a food monologue show back in Louisiana called "Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde..." and was inspired to make a savory beignet because beignets are "little pillows of decadence," my favorite term for them! Although Jay was told by the judges that he sometimes seems too rehearsed and needed to show other sides of his personality, the judges were very positive about his beignets. Host Bobby Flay said they had a good flavor and guest judge Chef Alex Guarnaschelli liked his passion for Louisiana culture.

There is no question in my mind that Jay will step up to the plate with the excellent feedback shared by the judges. I feel like they are pulling for him to win and are giving him the tools to get him there. There are many sides of Jay Ducote yet to be revealed and Food Nework needs to buckle their seatbelts as Hurricane Jay has just begun! My fingers are crossed because he deserves to win this competition and shine on his own Food Network show!

As we say in Louisiana, "Yeah You Right...Geaux Jay!"

Tune in to Food Network Star, an entertaining and mouthwatering show, on The Food Network on Sunday nights or look for it On Demand.

Meanwhile, if you want a little more of Big Jay, check out his website and order his delicious Jay D's Louisiana Barbeque sauce.

Peggy Sweeney-McDonald recently brought a taste of Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde... to the 2014 Passions of the Palate at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi on April 14, 2014. This festive and beautiful event is the annual fundraiser for the University's Hospitality & Hotel Management program. This year was a New Orleans theme and Peggy was invited to emcee the event along with five New Orleans executive chefs from popular New Orleans restaurants. Three of the chefs were veterans of the Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde... live shows and featured in the Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde... Life Stories About Food coffee table/cookbook by Pelican Publishing. These include: Chef Michael Regua from Antoine's Restaurant, Chef Matt Murphy of The Irish House and Chef Alan Ehrich of The Audubon Institute. The other Chefs participating were Chef Guy Reinbolt of Broussard's Restaurant and Chef Austin Kirzner of Red Fish Grill.

The two night event began on Sunday, April 13th, with a VIP party hosted by Dr. Cathie Price at her beautiful home in Hattiesburg. Dr. Price along with her students produced the event. Chef Tom Ramsey of Jackson, Mississippi prepared the delicious buffet for the party.

Chef Matt, Chef Guy, Peggy, Chef Austin, Chef Michael & Chef Alan

On Monday, the event began with a cocktail party, silent auction with passed appetizers and jazz band before moving the attendees into the beautiful ballroom at the Hattiesburg Convention Center. The New Orleans themed decor included a streetcar, beautiful mural of New Orleans along with Mardi Gras beads, street lamps and centerpieces with purple, gold and green beads and feathers.

The five course dinner with wine pairing was delicious with each chef featuring their signature dish. Peggy introduced each Chef and onstage they shared their inspiration of the dish along with stories of their food journies and the history of their restaurants including stories of Katrina, cooking for the Pope and what they served at the recent French Quarter Fest! In between Peggy shared her journey of creating Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde..., food stories and, of course, memories of Cafe Du Monde.

Peggy Sweeney-McDonald

After the event, Peggy and the chefs signed the Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde... books. It was a fabulous night and the Louisiana team showed Mississippi how the good times roll!

We are excited to announce a brand new internet food talk show, Savoring the Sweetness hosted by Peggy Sweeney-McDonald, creator of the Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde... show and book. The 30 minute food talk show is produced by Pepper Jay of Pepper Jay Productions at the Actors Entertainment Network.

Join Peggy weekly as she interivews chefs and foodie friends live on Thursday afternoons at 2:00 PM Pacific Standard Time. The thirty minute show will explore our tasty tales, edible food journeys and shared passion for food. We will talk about cookbooks, favorite restaurants, new food trends, inspiration around food and more. It can be viewed on www.savoringthesweetness.com.

Upcoming guests include Los Angeles Chef John Handal contributor for the new Dopamine for Dinner - Malibu Recovery Cookbook; New Orleans native Chef Ryan Rondeno of Kitchen Surfing in Los Angeles; Average Betty and Lisa Annitti who inspired the Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde show with her now famous Coconut Pie and a Bottle of Wine food story. Join us for this festive food show where we will warm your heart and feed your soul! Spread the word and like us on the Savoring The Sweetness Facebook page and follow us on Twitter @SavoringSweet

We are excited to present five Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde... shows at the Chili Pepper Extravaganza at the New Orleans Convention Center September 27 - 29, 2013. This convention celebrates spicy food with competitions, cooking demonstrations and over 200 vendors. It is produced by The Chili Pepper Magazine team.

Joining Peggy Sweeney-McDonald and Chili Pepper Magazine Editor, Rick McMillen is featured "Pepper Heads" sharing their food stories: Cindy Reed Wilkins of Cin Chili & Co., Johnny McLaughlin of Heart Breaking Dawns, Vic Clinco of Pepperboy, Keith Jenkins of Frog Bone, Thom Edwards of Captain Thom, Curtis Moore of The Praline Factory, John Hard - CaJohn's, Michelle Northrup of Intensity Academy, Steve Seabury of High River Sauces, and Stretch of Stretch Specialties. These stories will be festive and spicy! So join us on Friday, September 27th at 3:30 pm, Saturday, September 28th at 11:30 am and 3:00 pm and Sunday, September 29th at 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. Check out the bios/pictures of the storytellers on our Meet the Cast page on our website. The pdf of the schedule is attached below. See y'all there!

In March 2013, Chili Pepper Magazine featured and reviewed the Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde... book with Peggy's journey from inspiration to idea to shows to book, plus included 3 of the recipes from the book. In July 2013, Peggy wrote a feature article, "A Slice of Life" for the July Barbecue issue of Chili Pepper Magazine.

MEANWHILE, BACK AT CAFÉ DU MONDE… the popular, unique, and festive food monologue show and now a best
seller coffee table/cookbook is back in Baton Rouge for the 3 year anniversary shows,
on May 19th and June 9, 2013 at Boutin’s Restaurant.

The Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde… premiered with Baton Rouge
foodies in May, 2010 at The Myrtles Plantation and The Lyceum Ballroom. Over 250 foodies have shared their food
stories in shows throughout Louisiana, Mississippi and California. The coffee
table/cookbook launched in September 2012, was created and edited by Peggy
Sweeney-McDonald, with photography by Troy Kleinpeter. The book has received
rave reviews from Emeril, Rex Reed, Jeffrey Marx - Pulitzer Prize winning author of Season of Life,, and has been featured in magazines, newspapers, radio and television throughout the
country.

Humorous and heartfelt, these personal food stories all have the
common thread of food – our culture and relationships, personal life stories, past
love affairs and more. “We’ve all experienced the highs and lows of life, which
mostly revolve around our food experiences,” says creator/producer Peggy
Sweeney-McDonald, a former actress and veteran event producer (Superstar
Events-LA), a Baton Rouge native, LSU Graduate and 15-year resident of Los
Angeles, CA. “Everyone has their own “Café Du Monde” —the place where they know
what they are ordering, they know it is delicious, and they know they are with
good friends and family and for that hour, life is really wonderful!”

John Gray - Music Educator and Musician - The J Gray Jazz Band, The Mike Foster Project, The Soul Juke BoxPeggy Sweeney-McDonald-President of Superstar Events-LA, Creator of Meanwhile, Back at Café Du MondeShow and Coffeetable/Cookbook by Pelican Publishing

The shows
will be presented at Boutin’s Restaurant May 19 & June 9th with
doors opening at 6:00 PM and the show beginning at 7:00 PM show - Tickets are $35
and include show, buffet dinner, coffee/tea, tax & gratuity. A cash bar is available for purchase. Located at 8322 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Baton
Rouge, LA 70810 Limited Seating.

For
Reservations call (225) 819-9862 Website: www.boutins.com

For more information on the shows and book,
please contact: Peggy Sweeney-McDonald at 310-709-2851

MEANWHILE, BACK AT CAFÉ DU MONDE… the popular, unique, and festive food monologue show is coming to The Oak Room at Steve's Deli in the Pacific
Palisades, California May 9th & June 15th!

Humorous and heartfelt, these personal food stories all have the
common thread of food – our culture and relationships, personal life stories,
restaurant experiences, past love affairs, and more. “We’ve all experienced the
highs and lows of life, which mostly revolve around our food experiences,” says
creator/producer Peggy Sweeney-McDonald, a former actress and veteran event
producer (Superstar Events-LA) and 15-year resident of Los Angeles, CA.
“Everyone has their own “Café Du Monde” —the place where they know what they
are ordering, they know it is delicious, and they know they are with good
friends and family and for that hour, life is really wonderful!”

Featured foodies/personalities
sharing their stories in the May 9th show include:

MEANWHILE, BACK AT CAFÉ DU MONDE… the popular, unique, and festive food monologue show and now a best
seller coffee table/cookbook is back in Los Angeles for more live shows! After sold out shows in January and February,
the show will be produced for an encore performance on Tax Day – Monday, April
15th at Tom Bergin’s Tavern which some consider to be L.A.’s own
“Café Du Monde” celebrating with beignets and Irish Coffee!

Featured foodies/personalities sharing their stories include:

John Dardenne – Actor/Comedian

Richard Hertzog – Longtime L.A. Foodie Committed to Eating the City One Bite at a Time

Pepper Jay –Actress, Music/Film/TV
Producer and the Publisher of the Actors
Reporter

Honey Labrador – Actress, Television Host (Queer
Eye for the Straight Girl) and Film Producer (Spork)

Britt Prentice – Television & Film Actor, Director, Host, Singer and Co-Host of Let’s Do Lunch at LA Talk Live

Peggy
Sweeney-McDonald - President of Superstar Events-LA, Creator of
Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde

Show and Best-Selling Coffee table/cookbook by Pelican Publishing

Emcee is Chef Darrell “Das”
Smith, cookbook author Look Who’s
Cooking Now, founder of the Beverly Hills High School Culinary Program, featured
on the Food Network’s Next Food Network
Star, the Oprah Winfrey Network’s Home
Made Simple and was selected to prepare a luncheon for the First Lady of
the United States, Michelle Obama.

Humorous and heartfelt, these personal food stories all have the
common thread of food – our culture and relationships, personal life stories,
restaurant experiences, past love affairs, and more. “We’ve all experienced the
highs and lows of life, which mostly revolve around our food experiences,” says
creator/producer Peggy Sweeney-McDonald, a former actress and veteran event
producer (Superstar Events-LA) and 15-year resident of Los Angeles, CA. “Everyone
has their own “Café Du Monde” —the place where they know what they are
ordering, they know it is delicious, and they know they are with good friends
and family and for that hour, life is really wonderful!”

After sold out shows in January and February
at Tom Bergin’s Tavern, we are heading to the Westside and partnering with the
popular South Santa Monica Restaurant and Bar for a festive night of fun food
stories on Monday, March 18, 2013!

Featured foodies/personalities sharing their stories include:

Chef Richard Petty – Cookbook Author of “Beyond
Soul Food” and Radio Host of LA Talk Live “Let’s Do Lunch”

Michael Lyle – Emmy Award Winning Sound and Music Artist

Stephen Domingue – Owner of the popular Ragin Cajun food truck featured in The Food
Network show, The Great Food Truck Race

Chef Jamal
Gillespie - South’s Executive Chef

Lisa Annitti – Actress who inspired the show with her now famous “Coconut Pie and
a Bottle of Red Wine” story

Peggy Sweeney-McDonald – President of
Superstar Events-LA and Creator of Meanwhile, Back at Café Du MondeS

Emcee will be Adam Milstein,
owner of South Santa Monica and The Garage Restaurant in Culver City. He is
featured in the Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde book with his story, “A Bit of
South in Santa Monica.”

Humorous and heartfelt, these personal food stories all have the
common thread of food – our culture and relationships, personal life stories,
restaurant experiences, past love affairs, and more. “We’ve all experienced the
highs and lows of life, which mostly revolve around our food experiences,” says
creator/producer Peggy Sweeney-McDonald, a former actress and veteran event
producer (Superstar Events-LA) and 15-year resident of Los Angeles, CA. “Everyone
has their own “Café Du Monde” —the place where they know what they are
ordering, they know it is delicious, and they know they are with good friends
and family and for that hour, life is really wonderful!”

The Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde ... Life Stories About Food coffeetable/cookbook by Pelican Publishing has been out for five months and the excitement and interest keeps growing every day. Peggy has been back in Los Angeles since the end of December and starting in January, began Southern California book signings (Barnes and Noble), cooking demo events (Surfas Culinary District in Culver City and Costa Mesa), speaking engagements (Culinary Historians of Southern California) plus the Meanwhile... shows have been produced again with lots of new storytellers on board at Tom Bergin's Tavern. We have another upcoming show at SOUTH in Santa Monica on Monday, March 18th and planning another show at Tom Bergin's for April.

This Mardi Gras week be sure to wear your Mardi Gras purple, green and gold beads to the Surfas Culinary District - Culver City Test Kitchen (corner of Washington & National) from 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM & let the good times roll. Join us for a café au lait as Peggy Sweeney-McDonald and her fellow New Orleanians return by popular demand! Peggy will be preparing the Jammin’ Jambalaya and Lime Parfait by Marlyn Monette from her best-selling book “Meanwhile Back at Café du Monde…Life Stories About Food”.

What attendees say about her program in January:

"I loved your cooking demo yesterday at Surfas Culver City. It was very fun, educational, and great to get a chance to see you all in action!" - Chef Melinda Curtis

"Thank you so much for a delightful, entertaining, and enlightening presentation. It was a pleasure meeting you and being part of the audience today. You have a gift for making strangers into friends by being so inclusive in your speech and friendliness. I wish you well with your Meanwhile... shows, and look forward to meeting you again at another presentation." - Aloma Lively

This demo is free and open to the public. Seating is limited, so be sure to arrive early for the best seats and enjoy a cup of Cafe Au Lait and a pastry from the Surfas Cafe.

Then join Peggy at the Friends of the Pacific Palisades Library & The Culinary Historians of Southern California for her presentation, "Cafe Du Monde, Hubig's Pies and Louisiana Food Traditions & Stories" from the Meanwhile, Back at Cafe Du Monde...Life Stories About Food book. The presentation is free and open to the public. Seating is limited so arrive early at the Pacific Palisades Library located at 861 Alma Real Drive, Pacific Palisades, CA.